Wrap It Once, Use It Every Year: Top 5 Drawstring Bag Sewing Patterns

By the end of a holiday morning the floor is covered in torn paper, tape and ribbon, and most of it goes straight into a trash bag. A fabric bag with a cord at the top makes wrapping quick and comes back to be used again next year. A good drawstring bag sewing pattern gives you that bag in the sizes your presents actually come in.

Five patterns made the list, four for gift wrapping and one denim bag to keep: a round-bottom bag with two cords, a plain unlined bag in three sizes, bunny-ear bags, a jewelry pouch with pockets inside and the denim shoulder bag. After them: sizing a bag to a gift, one cord or two, seams and linings, and looking after the bags between holidays.

Five Drawstring Bag Sewing Patterns for Gifts and Every Day

Printable paper gift bags and SVG templates came up in the same searches and stayed out, along with sublimation prints and a fabric gift bag whose listing never mentions a drawstring. A lined drawstring bag already sits in the beginner roundup and a drawstring cosmetic bag among the makeup bags, so neither is repeated here.

TL;DR: Reusable gift wrap you sew once: a round-bottom bag with two cords, a plain unlined bag in three sizes, playful bunny bags and a jewelry pouch with 8 pockets, plus a denim drawstring shoulder bag to keep. Every pattern comes with step-by-step instructions.

• Bampton Drawstring Bag (3 Sizes) – Best round-bottom gift bag
• Unlined Drawstring Bag Sewing Pattern – Best quick batch
• Bunny Drawstring Bags – Best playful style
• Ferndown Jewelry Pouch Sewing Pattern – Best gift with a gift inside
• Draw-string Bag – Best bag to keep

Quick Comparison

Sizing a Fabric Gift Bag to the Present

A drawstring bag needs more height than the gift, because the top few inches go into the casing and the gathers. Lay the present on the fabric, fold the fabric up around it and leave a generous margin above for the closure. Width needs some ease too: a boxed gift takes up both its width and its depth once it is inside a flat bag.

The patterns here cover a wide range. The bunny bags start at 13 x 14 cm for treats and small toys, the unlined bag reaches 30 x 32 cm, the largest Bampton bag is 15 x 10 inches across a curved base, and the denim bag goes up to 39 x 40 cm measured flat. Measure the gift, then pick the size whose flat measurements leave room for its depth and the gathered top.

One Cord or Two?

A single drawstring goes all the way around the casing and ties in a bow. Two drawstrings, threaded from opposite sides, each go around once and come out on their own side, so pulling both ends closes the top evenly. The Bampton bag and the Ferndown pouch both use two.

• Cord: holds a knot well and slides easily through a casing.
• Ribbon: looks festive and ties a neat bow; satin can slip loose, so knot the ends.
• Twill tape or a fabric strip: matches the bag and lies flat.
• Threading: fix a safety pin or a bodkin to the end of the cord and work it through the casing.

Lined or Unlined, and Finishing the Seams

An unlined bag is one layer of fabric, so it is quicker to sew, but the raw edges inside need finishing or they will fray with every wash. A zigzag stitch or a serger holds up best to washing; pinking shears only slow fraying. Where the pattern’s construction and seam allowance allow it, French seams hide the raw edges completely. The casing at the top is usually made by folding the top edge over twice, which hides that raw edge as well.

A lined bag takes longer but has no raw edges at all, and it feels sturdier for a gift that should last. Of these five, the Ferndown pouch is fully lined, the denim bag has a lining, and the bunny bags are made so no stitches show inside or out. Quilting cotton suits most gift bags; check each pattern’s fabric requirements against the size you plan to sew.

Drawstring Bag Questions

How much fabric does a drawstring bag take?

The unlined pattern needs about 1 meter for one bag in each of its three sizes; smaller bags fit on a fat quarter. Lined patterns also need lining fabric, so check the requirements in the file before buying.

Are drawstring bags safe around small children?

Long cords and drawstrings are a strangulation risk for babies and young children. Keep gift bags with long cords out of cribs and play areas, and empty and put them away once the presents are open.

Can I make one without a printer?

A rectangular bag can be cut from measurements alone, but the patterns here come as printable pieces, and the curved Bampton bag and the round jewelry pouch really need them.

Keeping the Bags for Next Year

Reusable wrap only saves paper if the bags come back. Collect them once the gifts are open, clean any that need it in a way that suits the fabric and trim, press them if the materials allow and store them folded by size with the cord ends knotted, so they cannot slip back inside the casing. A label inside with the size saves guessing next time. Whatever drawstring bag sewing pattern you choose, a small stack in a few sizes means the next present needs no paper at all. A lined drawstring cosmetic bag is among the makeup bag patterns.

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